Hour of Need
by Olget
Summary: COMPLETE. Morgana and her new ally attack Camelot. Merlin disappears, Camelot is overrun. Young King Arthur is left to struggle and fight for  all that is left of his kingdom. Set post-Wicked Day, but includes Lancelot. He'll be back!
1. Chapter 1

I'm trying myself by writing something longer than two or three pages. Don't think I've ever done that before... Anyway, here is part 1, tell me what you think! Do you want me to post the rest?  
>Cheers!<p>

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><p>Arthur raised his head, soot and dirt covering his face, pieces of debris clinging to his matted hair. His ears were ringing, but as he pushed himself up, he could hear muffled shouting. A hand roughly grasped his armored shoulder, forcefully turning him. He blinked and focused on Sir Leon, who was surveying him anxiously. He noticed his mouth was moving and tried to focus.<p>

"...you hurt? Sire? Sire, we have to move, that was a narrow miss, don't give him time to aim, come on-"

Arthur nodded, regaining his senses. He let Sir Leon pull him to his feet, still in a protective crouch, sword drawn. The two men ran through the lower town together, staying low and using any kind of structure for a cover. They cowered behind an overturned wagon. It was still smoking, but maybe the mist would help hide them. Arthur took a deep breath.

"Have you seen the others?" Sir Leon shook his head.

"Not since Gwaine and Percival headed for the lower gate. I hope they made it-"

A diabolic, unnaturally loud cackling interrupted him.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are-" A gigantic ball of fire erupted from the northern tower and sailed through the air. Arthur braced himself, and yet his bones jarred from the impact, as the fireball hit the adjacent street. Sir Leon cursed. Arthur glanced over the wagon, already smelling the flames. Hatred, cold as ice, burned within him. He would kill that man. He would kill him, chop his head off, for mutilating and burning his town, endangering his people- he hoped there were none left within the city walls.

"Move," Arthur yelled as the flames drew closer. The knights ran, never looking back, slipping and sliding on the uneven ground. Behind them, the voice was talking again. They slipped into a narrow street, panting. But before Arthur could discern the sorcerer's words, a much softer sound alerted him. He whipped his head around, just in time to bring his sword down. He split the skull of the creature before it had a chance to bite him. That would would have been perilous, he knew too well. Many a citizen had not managed to flee before the plague of large, black and aggressive rats had infested the city. He had not yet known they were the lesser evil.

When the men finally entered the larger cottage, Arthur's hands were shaking. He saw Guinevere rush up to meet him and felt a pang of relief. She was still safe. No rats had gotten to her during his absence. He gave her a quick hug before turning towards the rest of the room. Gaius sat in a corner. Looking worried. As everyone did these days. Gwaine sat at the table, fumbling at a bandage around his biceps. Elyan, looking as sooty as Arthur felt, was standing beside him. Percival was there, as well. He heard urgent footsteps behind him and turned around to see Merlin stumble into the room, panting. Lancelot was right behind him.

"It's no use," Merlin gasped, clutching his knees as he leaned forward, trying to catch his breath. "His magic warns him whenever some approaches the citadel."

"And if he doesn't get you, his rats will", Lancelot added, his breathing easier. The knight looked tired, his eyes dark and his shoulders slumped.

Arthur sighed inwardly. He had feared their original plan wouldn't work, but he could think of only one other option. He didn't like it, but it seemed they had no other choice.

"Then we all must go at once." His men and Gwen stared at him. "We challenge Cado. All of us together. And while he is busy fending us off, two of us can sneak inside the citadel. We need to find out how to stop him. If we can't remove the rat curse from the city, then we haven't got a chance. If we succeed, we can take care of the sorcerer without having to fight on two fronts."

"We still don't know how he controls the rats, though", Elyan objected.

"Gaius?" Arthur turned the physician.

"As I said before, I cannot say what enchantment was used to magnify the rat's lethality. Or how he exercises his control over them. If I just had access to some of my books, maybe I could-"

"Merlin know the library and your chambers best", Arthur interrupted. "He will go, along with someone more skilled in not getting killed than he is."

"I'll go with him", Lancelot said, without missing a beat. Arthur didn't even bother with nodding; he had expected as much.

"Good. We rest now, and attack at dawn. I'll take the first-"

"I think we should go now", Merlin quipped. "He thinks he beat us for today, right now he's just burning the city for the fun of it. We can get to him while he is distracted. He won't be expecting two attacks in the same evening."

"It does get more perilous to stay with every passing day, Sire", Gaius added. "It's only a matter of time until he finds us."

"Or the vermin does", Gwaine remarked darkly. Arthur assessed his small group of fighters, wishing he had more men. The sorcerer's attack had scattered his knights; most had to flee the city. He knew that they weren't far, most probably in the surrounding forests. They wouldn't abandon their king, but he had seen the rats swarm around the city gates like a pack of rabid dogs. Thousands of them, maybe even millions. He felt nauseated.

"Fine. Everybody, gather your things. We're leaving in an hour. Gaius, Gwen, I don't think we will will be able to return here. If we don't succeed, we'll have to flee the city. Prepare everything."

Gaius lowered his head in agreement and the group stirred. Merlin walked over to Gwaine, examining his arm and exchanging a laugh. Percival said nothing, but drew his sword and started sharpening it with slow, methodical movements. Arthur watched him for a moment, then Gwen approached him. He felt his expression soften as he gazed upon her. She returned his smile, although it made the tired lines in her face even more pronounced.

"We'll get through this", she promised softly and discretely threaded her fingers through his. Her skin was so soft to his touch. "I know we will."

He kissed her brow gently, wishing he could just stay like this forever. Instead, he had to go to fight against a powerful magician who commanded a fleet of venomous rats. There had been better days.

He gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze, then walked over to Merlin and Lancelot, who sat by the window, conversing in low voices. "Merlin, loosen my shoulder plate for a while, something's wrong with it."

His servant complied and Arthur felt the pressure around his shoulder loosen.

"You know this is just a temporary solution", Merlin said with a final tug, then faced him. Arthur noticed how his shirt was in an abysmal state, his neckerchief askew. "Even if Lancelot and I can find the books, there's no guarantee that we'll take the right ones. Or that there will be anything useful written in any of them. And even if there is, and we figure out how to stop the plague, we'll _still _have to deal with a very angry sorcerer who wants to kill us all. And if-"

"I _know_, Merlin! But unless you have a better plan in that useless head of yours, stop your whining and do as you're told." Arthur glared at Merlin, who merely raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, yes, that's rich", he said with a slight twitch of his head. "Snap at the servant, will you, it's all his fault, I'm sure he deserves it." Arthur rolled his eyes, exasperated.

"Just make sure you get inside the citadel and out again, along with the books. We'll handle the sorcerer, so you got the safe and cowardly task, really. It suits you. Now, strap my armor back on."

"You just told me to take it off!"

"Well, now I've changed my mind."

"Take it off, put it on, take if off again- When you royal Highness has decided what it wants to do with itself, would Sire be kind enough notify the council? I think a celebration would be in order. We could make it annual. Well, you could, anyway."

Arthur smiled slightly as Merlin fumbled with his shoulder, still mumbling insults, the familiar banter keeping the impeding dread at bay.

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><p>Thoughts? Concrit? Favourite lines?<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the encouragment! Here you go, hope you enjoy it!

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><p>The knights crept through the gates, arms drawn. Arthur took the lead, Sir Leon and Sir Gwaine close behind him. They spread across the yard, warily looking around. Goods lay scattered all over the ground, the remains of a wagon blasted apart, debris covering the ground. Arthur felt anger rise within him as he saw the state of his own courtyard.<p>

"Well, well, well", a voice drawled out from behind his back. Arthur whipped around, sword at the ready. He saw Cado sitting atop the wall over the gates, lazily leaning back and dangling his legs. "Look what the cat dragged in. The proud warriors of Camelot:" He smirked. "My, I'm in trouble, aren't I."

Arthur clenched his jaw. "Compared to you even a three-legged-dog is proud!" He shouted back. "What kind of man rips apart a whole city for the sake of his own entertainment? If you seek dominance of this kingdom, come a challenge it's lord like a man with honour!"

Arthur paused, knowing his speech was pointless. His mind buzzed in anticipation. This evil man could blast him to pieces should he decide so; hopefully, he would be able to distract him enough that at least Merlin could get through. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his knights moving. Gods, they were all going to die.

"Why fight you for something I already have, your Lordship?" Cado gestured at the city in general. "Besides, why deprive myself of the satisfaction of letting you scurry through your little city, day in and day out, like tiny brave ants, so desperate to take back your castle. Quite pathetic, yet fun to watch." Again, that smirk. Oh, how Arthur wished he could just cut it off his face, along with the rest of his head. Hate choked him as he glared up at the sorcerer,.

"You know nothing about a man's love for his kingdom!" Sir Leon came to Arthur's aid. "You do not deserve to be called a man, you are no more than the company you keep; I am sure the rats consider you a fair friend." He spat on the ground in disgust.

The sorcerer leaned forward, his face contorting with anger. "Love for a kingdom founded on the blood of the innocent! How self-satisfied you must be, knight, born in such high graces. It was easy for you to lick the right boots. As for my company, I believe it has the same status as yours has. However, mine is infinitely more beautiful." He smiled tauntingly, and looked at something behind Arthur. He hesitated, then glanced behind him.

There, leaning ever so gracefully against the entrance to the royal halls, dark as the waters of Avalon themselves, stood Morgana. Arthur's breath hitched. She was pale, even sickly so, her eyes had sunken into their sockets. However, the triumph and satisfaction were coming off her in waves. She surveyed him as a cat might a mouse, planning to play with him before she snapped his neck. He knew this look. He had once found it amusing, challenging. Now, it made his blood run cold.

"Hello Arthur. How have you been?" She stepped down the stairs. "My, I forget my manners, _Sire. _I forgot, you call yourself King of Camelot." She smiled cruelly. "Tell me, how did you like your coronation? I'm curious. After all, I arranged it all for you. Without my help, our poor father might have lived for years in his tragic state of mind. I heard he was barely responsive in the end, is it true?"

Arthur's mind froze, all thoughts of their plan gone. Then it jolted back into life and he swallowed, trying to regain his composure. "Don't flatter yourself, Morgana, my father fell to magic, but it wasn't yours, it was-"

"Oh, but it was", Morgana interrupted him gleefully. "I take a lot of pride in it. I know, you hired this bumbling warlock to try and heal him. The irony of it is, his spell was working, else my enchantment would have not. By healing him with magic, you allowed me to kill him." She gazed at his face expectantly, obviously releshing in his pain. He heard a small laugh behind him and this, more than anything, made him determined to end this, right here, right now.

"Morgana, you are the lowest form of being I have ever encountered. A king offered everything to you, his kingdom, his love and you threw it all away. I have nothing but contempt for you! Your soul is consumed by black magic and I hope it burns you alive!" Arthur panted, blinking away tears of rage. He dimly felt himself trembling and was aware that his men were forming a circle around him.

"Do not speak to my Lady in that tone!" Cado had finally made his descent from the wall and strode towards the knights. "You know nothing of our pain, nothing about our magic! How dare you suggest you are in any place to judge someone with power such as ours. Do you want to feel it, king?"

And with that, he raised his hand, pointed at Arthur and said something the King didn't understand. The sorcerer's gleaming eyes were the last thing he saw before his world twisted into agony. He didn't feel himself convulse, didn't hear himself cry out in pain as a red light consumed him, breaking every bone at once and grating every nerve in his body. Not a single thought was left in his mind, not even the wish to die, there was only pain, until-

He gasped as he fell to the ground, trembling. Hands gripped him and dragged him over the ground, then steadied him. He looked at Lancelot, who was holding him, watching something with a look of absolute terror on his face. Still gasping for air, Arthur followed his gaze.

Merlin hung suspended in the air by a giant orb of gas, or maybe blood-red liquid. His whole body was twitching and Merlin was screaming, shouting as Arthur had never heard him scream before. He watched, petrified, as his friend doubled over in pain. Then, Merlin's eyes opened and their glow was visible even through the orb. With a wordless roar Merlin reared up, and the orb surrounding him exploded. Cado was flung back with a cry of surprise. Merlin dropped to the ground, shaking.

"You!" Morgana shrieked, striding towards him. "It cannot be!" She halted, her chest heaving in disbelief and fury. „You have magic. And you never told! You could have helped me. You could have stood by my side!"

Merlin staggered upright. "Help you destroy Camelot and everything it stands for? Never! That is not how magic is meant to be used, but you know that, Morgana. You always knew. And yet you chose this path. Leave now, you have done enough damage here!"

Morgana looked aghast for a moment, then she uttered a sound of rage. "How dare you oppose me now! Uther is dead, Camelot has fallen and Arthur will be next!" A ball of flames appeared in her hand and Arthur watched, immobile, as it sped towards him. He lifted his arm instinctively, Lancelot cowering beside him, but the flames never reached him. Instead, they turned halfway towards Arthur and hurtled back. Morgana shouted just in time and the fire vanished.

"You will not hurt him." Merlin spoke firmly, his statement absolute. Arthur watched with a feeling of detachment as his servant stood his ground, firm, his clothes filthy, hair ruffled and a trail of blood running down his temple. But the expression in Merlin's face was something different. It spoke of an authority Arthur had never witnessed before. Neither had Morgana, by the look on her face. After a moment of indecision, her face darkened.

"Fine. Then I'll kill you too." She raised her hand and her eyes flashed. Arthur could feel as the force left her, and flew at Merlin. Merlin's eyes glowed in return and he murmured a few words. The dust at his feet stirred, but nothing else happened.

"Leave now, Morgana. Your magic is no use here. Just go before it is too late."

Morgana didn't reply, her face contorted in rage. She whispered something in the language of the Old Religion, and a great wind rose in the courtyard. Arthur screwed up his eyes against the small stones and dust flying through the air. He saw Merlin do the same. The remains of a wagon were lifted into the air, as were a wheelbarrow and random pieces of debris. The pelted through the air at Merlin, who cowered slightly, hoarsely shouting words into the air. Arthur uttered a wordless cry of warning as the missiles missed Merlin by inches, then started swirling around him. He watched helplessly as Morgana leaned forward, brow furrowed in concentration, Merlin in the eye of an ever growing storm of wind and heavy objects.

He staggered away as the air pressure became to much to bear, seeking cover behind the foot-high wall encasing the courtyard, watching the battle before him. Suddenly, the circle holding Merlin broke and one by one the objects shot through the air, faster than an arrow, as the deathly spiral around Merlin unraveled. Morgana threw herself to the ground as the heavy objects flew towards her, flying over her head and hitting the stairs behind her with enormous clatter. The air however, seemed to compress around her and now it was Morgana who was being visibly pushed to the ground, crushed by a force that could not be seen. It emanated from Merlin, who had a hand outstretched and was fully focused on the struggling sorceress.

A movement behind Merlin caught Arthur's attention. Cado was silently mouthing a spell as he crept behind Merlin. Before Arthur could utter more than a sound of surprise, he heard Lancelot shout out next to him.

"Merlin, behind you!"

Merlin whipped around, but it was to late; Cado's spell hit him. A blinding white light expanded, encasing Merlin, then it imploded. Merlin had vanished.

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><p>Thoughts? Concrit? Favourite line?<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur could remember only little about their flight from the citadel; he remembered only shouted instructions at his knights, running wildly through the city, more rats on their heels than he had ever seen before. Then, Guinevere and Gaius waiting with the horses and a desperate ride in the darkness, out in the country. Towards the woods.

Finally, they stopped. There was nothing to be heard except the horses and their rider's fast breathing. Finally, Lancelot spoke.

"We need to make a fire. Come on, Gwaine, we'll get some firewood. Someone else tend to the horses, Percival, will you do that-"

"I'll help", Gwen spoke out of the darkness.

"Good. Leon, would you stand guard while we-" 

"Sire", Gaius interrupted him. "Where is Merlin?" Silence fell again.

"Get the fire going", Arthur commanded, glad Gaius couldn't see his face. He averted his gaze anyway.

"Sire, what-"

"I said, get the fire going!" Arthur barked. His men moved to action, but Arthur could still see Gaius silhouette outlined in the moonlight. It had not moved.

The flames of a small fire crackled and licked at the moist wood. Arthur stared into the flames. No one had spoken a word since his earlier outburst. Gwen, nervously glancing from one man to the other, spoke up.

"What happened?" Nobody dared answer her question.

"Merlin fought the sorcerers", Gwaine finally said, disbelief in his voice. "Merlin fought them, with magic and he bloody nearly won, I think, he had blasted that maggot Cado right off his feet and had Morgana down to her knees-"

"Morgana?", Gwen opened her mouth in shock.

"-but he got hit and there was this light and he was gone."

"Wait, are you saying _Merlin had magic_? No, I can't believe it, he never-"

"We all saw it, Guinevere", Lancelot said gently. "There's no denying it."

Arthur threw a loose twig into the flames. "I think someone should explain to me what is going on right now." He glanced at the others, his gaze finally fixing on Gaius. The old man looked him in the eyes, silent. "Did any one of you know about this?"

"I did." Exclamations of surprise rippled through the group. Lancelot looked around, his expression solemn, shadows and light playing along his features. "On our very first adventure together, he killed the griffin. It wasn't me; he enchanted my spear, since the griffin could only be killed by magic. I knew since then, even though he tried to deny it. He destroyed Cendred's immortal army, too, you know. It was him who broke the spell."

"Merlin?" Leon asked incredulously. "Our clumsy Merlin?"

"I think", Gaius spoke for the first time, his voice low and very tired, "that we'll better start from the beginning."

The patrol cam riding back into the camp, looking weary. They posed a sorry sight: their armour was dirty and dulled, the horses as tired and ragged as the men themselves. Arthur stood from his place by the fire and walked to greet them. He took the empty bags from them as they dismounted.

"So?"

"We distributed as much as we could, Sire. It still wasn't enough. The only good news is that all people that could _have _moved on. The only ones who remain are the ones who have nowhere to go. There are still reports of thievery in the nearby farming estates, though. The people are hungry, Sire." The young man, Galahad, fell silent. Behind him, Leon nodded in agreement. Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded.

"Thank you, Galahad. Well done, all of you. Get some rest." The knights sighed gratefully and scattered, while a boy, no older than a twelve or thirteen, hastily ran from one to the other, trying to take care of all three horses at once. Arthur watched for a moment, amused. The boy's uncoordinated and hurried gait reminded him of Merlin. A familiar mixture of pain, remorse and longing filled his chest, but he pushed it away. There was no time for that. His first duty was to his people, everything else came second.

There was not much to be done, though. He had sent out the few knights that had remained out to collect what food the surrounding farmers of his realm could spare. It was never much. All the people that had relatives or any kind of hope of starting anew had moved away. Only those whose complete livelihood had remained in Camelot stayed. Still, there was not enough food for everyone. Arthur had gone so far as to send the remaining troops and knights away- he could not support them. He was a king without a realm. He had nowhere to go to. Only a few knights had remained with him, including the ones he had knighted himself. It seemed such a long time ago. Gaius had refused to go- he lived in the same camp, in the big tent that was now serving as the infirmary. A few children were in charge of running from camp to camp, carrying messages for him, collecting herbs and even treating the wounded- it filled Arthur with a sick kind of pride when he saw small children unwind bandages around bites left by wild beasts, smear pastes on cuts and bruises and comfort weeping men who had decades on them.

He breathed in deeply and returned to his task at hand. His stomach grumbled, but he ignored it. There would be nothing to eat for him till morning. He studied his notes for the umpteenth time. Nothing new came out of it. They had finally discovered the magician's source of control of the rat-like-beasts. A small flute that hung around the sorcerer's neck at all times. Morgana and him lived a lovely life in the halls of Camelot, being waited on those desperate enough to serve them. The pressed taxes out of the surrounding villages, no one dared oppose them. They did not need any troops. Cado alone seemed powerful enough to bring down an entire army.

Arthur rubbed his face as his thoughts ran along the same lines they had for over a month now. His birthday had passed. No one had even taken notice, not even Gaius. That alone showed how much had changed. He heaved himself upright and walked over to the place were a new, stronger construct was being built: It was to be the new infirmary, more and more sick people were being brought in to see Gaius with every day. Disease was spreading faster as his people grew weaker. Without saying another word, he picked up a bramble and started threading it into what would become a wall. He had learned many new things during his camp life. One was that it didn't matter who made the roof as long as it didn't leak.

As the night came, the knights of Camelot convened around the fire. It had become a ritual since the first evening. Gwen and Gaius also attended. The sat and talked and sometimes even laughed. Especially Gwaine, with his dark humour, surprised everyone by being able to lift the mood and be cheery even without the aid of mead. However, it always came down to the same topic.

"I don't see how we can defeat him, Sire," Gaius said wearily. "He is powerful enough to stop us, we have no army and since you declined the help of the other kingdoms-"

"I will not see their soldiers die for our sake", Arthur interrupted him. They had had this argument quite a few times, but Arthur had stayed firm.

"That may be as it is, Sire, but I do not see any alternative. We have no resources, no power, no money-"

"Or we could afford some decent food," Gwaine murmured.

"-whereas they have magic. The odds are against us, Sire." Silence. The same dead end each night.

"We could go to the druids." Arthur looked at Lancelot, baffled. Lancelot returned his gaze.

"Think about it. Merlin was something special to them, Gaius has told us as much, and maybe they can help us! They don't profit from the evil Morgana brought to the land and, as a peaceful people, the cannot look upon their reign with favour!" Arthur didn't say a word. He waited.

"And maybe- maybe they could provide us with some magical assistance." He looked at each knight in turn. Gwaine was listening, thinking, Leon was looking doubtful. Gaius was observing Arthur, who was staring at the flames Guinevere was sitting beside Elyan, who had an arm around her and Percival looked like- well, Percival.

"You just said yourself, they are a peaceful people", Leon pointed out. "Why should they interfere, and then for our sakes?"

"We just have to convince them", Lancelot insisted, with a desperate air. "Just imagine if we had a warlock on our side, one powerful enough to crush Cado- maybe they can bring Merlin back!"

Arthur shut his eyes. There it was. That's where it always lead to- Lancelot was desperate to believe Merlin was still alive. So was Gaius. Gwaine refused to give up hope as well.

"If Merlin is really gone-" he had said on occasion, "then what do I have left to live for?" And he had laughed. In secret, probably all the knights thought Merlin was out there, somewhere. Gwen thought she knew it, too. Arthur wished he could share their hopes.

"Merlin is gone, Lancelot." He felt so tired. Another argument they had had only to often. Lancelot refused to see sense. "He won't be coming back."

"Fine"; Lancelot replied irritably. "Believe as you wish, but my other arguments still stand. We need magic to defeat Cado, there is no other way." The audience's attention turned back to Arthur. He felt a spark of anger at Lancelot's challenging tone.

"The druids hate us. My father has hunted them like animals. Why should they help us?"

"You won't know until you try." Arthur stood up and let that statement hang in the air. Without another word he left for his tent. He didn't like talking about Merlin.


	4. Chapter 4

Here you go; hope you're still here and enjoying the ride!

Arthur stepped out his tent. He could not sleep anyway, so he intended to relieve to guard. He breathed in the cool night air; all was quiet in the camp. He sent the boy leaning sleepily against a tree to his tent and sat himself down. He watched the moon make its way across the sky as his thoughts returned to his former life. The life in Camelot in all it's grandeur, it's comfort. He thought he would never again take plentiful food for granted. Not all had been soft and good. Many demands from his father and later the council and most of all, from himself. Hard training sessions, hunting trips, quests that had him camping, much like now. But it had always been temporary. In the end, he had always been able to come home.

His own room, with his own bed, so warm and welcoming. And Merlin, ready with his supper. Always Merlin. His servant, his friend. Merlin, who always talked so much but never really said anything. Merlin, who always knew how he felt and if he didn't, wasn't afraid to ask. Merlin, the only one to mouth off to him as one might to an equal, who teased him mercilessly every chance he got. Merlin, who made him forget, every now and then, that he was king. And who, in other moments, reminded him of just that.

Arthur rested against the tree. Apparently, there had been another Merlin. The dark part of him, secret and hidden. Dangerous. A Merlin that had fought, time and time again. A Merlin who had consorted with the druids. A Merlin who had fought griffins, dragons, sorcerers and questing beasts. And a Merlin who had defeated them all. Unlike himself. Arthur grimaced at the thought. _Emrys. _

He wondered for a moment was it must have been like, to have to hide himself like that. If he had for a moment thought about him, Arthur. What it would feel like to know one has been lied to like that. To be betrayed like that. He smiled bitterly at the darkness. He probably had. And kept silent anyway. Arthur couldn't even blame him. He laughed at the thought. Living in Camelot, using magic- it would have been foolish to tell, especially tell him, the Crown Prince of Camelot. Even if they were friends.

Lancelot's speech returned to him. He didn't believe the druids would help them. But could he really afford not to try?

Dawn neared and Arthur stretched his weary bones. He blinked away the fog from his eyes and stood, shivering, waiting for his shift to end. At least the sleepless night had not been in vain: He had come to a decision.

He rose in the early afternoon, famished. As he stepped out of his tent, blinking, he was greeted by Gaius, who was tending to the coals.

"Good day, Sire", Gaius said upon spotting him. "I've had some food put aside for you."

Arthur sat down in a crouch and grabbed the bowl. After he swallowed the first few bites he looked back at Gaius, who was watching him with concern. "You need to take better care of yourself, Sire. Your people need you."

Arthur gulped down his food before he spoke. "I'm perfectly fine. Tell me, Gaius: Do you know how to contact the druids?"

Gaius looked at him in astonishment. "Why would you want to do such a thing, Sire?"

Arthur wiped his mouth. "Because Lancelot was right. And I have the responsibility to try. I need you to take me to them."

Gaius bowed his head at Arthur's determined voice. "As you wish, Sire. But, Sire, it would be wise to take someone trusted with you. I'd advise Lancelot. And maybe Percival; he is less likely to say something foolish than Gwaine." Arthur smiled at the physician's attempt of a joke.

"Fine. Can you take us tomorrow?"

"I am an old man, your majesty. I suggest that I better stay here and help. I can give you directions on how you must find them." 

"Then we ride at dawn."

Gaius' instructions led them deep into the forest, outside of Arthur's kingdom. He felt uneasy, leaving his people behind, but he knew he had no choice. The men didn't talk much as they rode for three days, into the hills of Aserdern. The mist was thick here, especially at dawn and Arthur woke up thinking it must have rained. On the fourth day they reached a riverbank, as Gaius had predicted. According to him, it was the river Glenling. Here, so the physician had said, began the realm of the druids. The horses pawed the ground nervously as Arthur surveyed the woods. They were silent, unmoving. Maybe even too still. He glanced at Lancelot, who was observing the surroundings as well, his hand on the hilt of his sword with forced casualty.

Arthur returned his attention to the other bank and nearly fell off his horse. There, still as though he had been there the whole time, stood a lone man. The skin on his face looked weathered and his expression was stern as he gazed upon the travelers. He was garbed in the traditional robes of the druids and Arthur could see a pendant hanging around his neck. He strongly suspected it was magical. He swallowed with anticipation. Once before in his life had he knowingly reached out to magicians for help; it had gone even more terribly wrong than he had initially thought. It had cost him dearly.

Arthur cleared his throat. "My name is Arthur Pendragon. I seek audience with the druids. We desire your help and advice. May I speak to your leader?"

"We know who you are, Lord of Camelot, and we know why you come. My name is Iseldir, and I speak for my people", the man answered, his eyes never leaving Arthur's face. The stare was making him nervous. Which was probably why that old man did it. "Leave your weapons and horses on your side of the river; we will tend to them. Then you may cross and will be heard."

Arthur nodded at Percival and Lancelot. They dismounted and lay their swords and daggers on the ground. Then, carefully stepping from stone to stone, the crossed the shallow stream. The druid watched in silence. When the knights reached the other shore, the druid looked at the forest and three young men, all garbed in the ragged druid fashion, appeared. Arthur tensed.

"We will blindfold you know and then take you to our camp", the druid announced. Arthur felt Percival stir beside him.

"That was not part of our arrangement", he protested sharply.

"It will happen like this, or not at all", stated the druid calmly. His men waited in silence.

"I cannot place my life into your hands, I have an obligation to my people to return safely to Camelot!"

"But you already have placed you life in my hand by coming here, Sir Arthur. And I too have an obligation; a poor leader I would truly be, if I allowed the ruler of Camelot to determine the exact location of our home. It is a great sign of trust from my side that I speak to you at all. You can leave any time you wish."

The man's gaze was unwavering as he waited. Arthur clenched his jaw, but saw no other way. He nodded jerkily. The younger druids stepped forward and gently, but firmly, pulled a cloth over Arthur's eyes. He could only hear as his knights must have been subjected to the same treatment. His breath came in quick bursts as he heard the men move around him and their leader give instructions in a low voice.

"My Lord, I am standing right in front of you", said a nervous, much higher voice. "Grab both my shoulders and lean on my when you stumble. I will lead you as safely as I can."

Arthur raised his arms obediently and awkwardly fumbled for the boy's shoulders. He flinched as the boy touched his hand in assistance. He felt the body beneath his hands stiffen. "We're going now, Sire. Beware, the ground is uneven."

Arthur couldn't tell how long this trip had taken- it must have been more than an hour. It was exhausting, to stumble blindly, every muscle at the ready to catch a fall that might occur any minute. Arthur could hear low cursing behind him. He felt in a mood to simply rip off his blindfold and be done with it, but the image of his people back at home kept him patient. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he heard other voices, and smelled smoke. They halted.

"You may remove your blindfolds, we have reached our destination. Thank you for humoring us."

Arthur pulled off the hated blindfold and blinked at the sudden light, looking around. He was standing at the edge of a camp not unlike his, but better fortified. People were gathering around him, men, women and children alike. They stood some paces away, observing him silently, children peaking around the legs of the adults. Despite himself, Arthur wondered if they had come to see the son of the man who had hunted them down with their own eyes. And he wondered how he appeared to them. He squared his shoulders and threw a glance at his men. They too were looking at the crowd, just as tense as he was. Arthur knew, should anything happen, they would be at the mercy of the druids and there was nothing any of them could do about it. He had to tread carefully.

"Come, I'll lead you to my quarters." Iseldir motioned for them to follow him. He guided them through the camp until the came to a big tent, that was leaning onto a big oak, cowering beneath it's wide canopy.

They entered it and found a wide, roughly hewn table with food and sweetened wine waiting for them. Iseldir motioned for them to sit. Silently, he poured them some wine and gestured towards the food. "Eat. You must be hungry. We will talk afterward."

Arthur gazed critically at the food, but his discomfort won against his mistrust. Following his lead, Percival and Lancelot dug in. Iseldir watched in silence, picking at a grape or two.

"You said you needed our help", he said after the knight's strongest hunger was sated.

"As you might have heard, Camelot has been conquered by two sorcerers," Arthur began, setting his goblet aside. Iseldir nodded in confirmation. "We cannot think of how to defeat them. Therefore we seek your counsel: How can Morgana and Cado be defeated? I realize it can't be done without magic, about which I know very little. If one of your spellcasters was willing to go into battle for us," Arthur took a deep breath, "Camelot would show it's gratitude, once it is under my control again."

Iseldir watched him, a small smile flickering around his lips.

"My, my. How the winds have changed. King Arthur is asking magical aid." He uttered a small laugh. Arthur exchanged a surprised look with Lancelot; this had been the strongest emotional response the druid had shown.

"Matters are not that simple, my Lord." The druid leaned forward and folded his hands. "Morgana has moderate powers, although her cunning is not to be underestimated. But Cado is an entirely different matter. His powers are immense and he is said to be mad." 

Percival stirred and Lancelot chuckled.

"We do not posses the resources to defeat them both, even if we did desire to fight. I'm afraid there is nothing I can do."

"There must be something," Arthur argued, the familiar feeling of desperation clawing at his chest. "Isn't there a spell you can-"

"All of our warlocks combined would not possess enough power to defeat Cado," Iseldir stated.

"What about Merlin?", Lancelot jumped in. Iseldir turned his attention to him.

"Did you know about him?", he pressed on. Arthur, despite himself, leaned in, listening closely.

"Your friend, Sir Lancelot, has been known to us druids before he was born." Lancelot's brow crinkled in confusion. "We know him under the name of Emrys. His coming has been prophesied since the beginning of the world, his destiny carved into the very foundations of the lands. He himself has just begun to understand his role in all that will come. He will stand beside the Once and Future King, to rule over the land of Albion and bring peace to all men."

Arthur's neck prickled at the mention of Merlin's druid name. The way Iseldir spoke of his servant deeply unsettled him.

"He has disappeared", Lancelot confessed and described the events concerning Merlin's disappearance. The druid listened with rapt attention.

"But if your prophecies are true, then Merlin can't be dead, right? How else could they be true?", Lancelot asked hopefully.

"Again, knight, matters are not that simple. Every decision creates a new reality and when Emrys decided to engage in battle with Cado, he might have thrust us into one that is bereft of his presence." The druid stroked his beard, his gaze fixed thoughtfully on the table. Arthur's heart clenched as he heard his fears confirmed in that unfeeling manner.

"However", the druid continued, "from your description, it sounds as though Cado has used an extinction spell. Maybe he sensed Emrys' powers and feared what would happen should he kill them. I suspect he ejected Emrys from our world, forcing him into the spirit world, a timeless, endless place of ghosts and memories."

Arthur stared at Iseldir, unbelieving. And yet, he dared not ask the question.

"Does that mean he's dead?", Percival spoke up for the first time. Arthur held his breath.

"Not necessarily, no", Iseldir said. He began speaking again, but was interrupted by various sounds of relief. Arthur leaned back and breathed heavily, looking at the ceiling. He felt light-headed. Merlin was _alive. _Lancelot laughed, a hysterical note to it and slapped Percival's arm in glee. Iseldir surveyed them, amused.

"How can he be brought back?" Lancelot asked, his voice more determined than ever before. Arthur knew Lancelot would search far and wide if he had to, to find whatever it was they needed to bring Merlin back. He would have to beat Arthur to it.

"Emrys is caught outside this world, as I have said. But he is not meant to be there, his body has been magicked away, as well as his soul, before his time. There is a spell, I have never performed it yet. It is very complicated. And it requires a personal object, something close to Emrys. Something we can link him to."

Arthur looked at Lancelot, who was equally stumped. Merlin didn't have many possessions and none struck Arthur as particularly personal. And all of them were located in Camelot, almost impossible to obtain. But that was the lesser problem.

"What kind of personal object?" Arthur inquired. "Clothes, maybe tools...?"

Iseldir shook his head. "No. It must be an object that holds emotional significance for the subject. It can't just be anything. Something irreplaceable."

Arthur flexed his jaw, an idea occurred to him. He hesitated for a moment, but didn't see any other option. There was no time to waste; his people were dying.

"Can you use me?" Lancelot and Percival looked at him in astonishment, but Arthur ignored them, keeping his eyes fixed on Iseldir.

"It would be dangerous. You would be placed in direct proximity of the spirit world; it has never been done like this before. Anything could happen."

Arthur didn't flinch. "Will it bring Merlin back?"

Iseldir surveyed him, his stormy eyes unreadable. Arthur wondered what they looked like when he performed magic.

"Yes."

Thoughts? Concrit? Favourite lines?


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the delay, here's today's chapter. Cheers!

"What happens now?" Arthur asked nervously, having refused Lancelot's proposal to take his place. Merlin was, had always been, his responsibility.

"You do nothing, Sire. We will begin the incantation, then we will call Emrys. If the spell works, then he will respond. But I can't promise you anything."

Arthur nodded. He stood in the center of a circle of druids who had locked hands, preparing to perform a dangerous spell involving him, with Merlin's life at stake. "Should this spell work, Iseldir," he promised," the druids will no longer have to fear Camelot or it's king."

Iseldir nodded. "Your words will be remembered, Sire." Then he began the incantation, a mixture of words Arthur didn't understand. Percival and Lancelot stood on the side, along with other druids, watching. Arthur thought he could see their hope radiating off them from the distance.

One by one, the druids joined into the incantation, until the powerful chorus raised goosebumps on Arthur's skin. He could feel that imperceptible change of the air that he had come to identify as magic. Flashes of light appeared before his eyes and he gasped.

Then the woods and the ever-chanting druids were back, weaving their spell as Arthur doubled over, burning in fire and ice. It was like Cado's torture all over again, then it was gone. Arthur staggered. He felt his blood tingle as the druids' incantation increased in speed. There was a strange rushing in his ears, as though he was under water.

"Emrys!" Iseldir called out, his deep voice carrying further than just across the woods. "Emrys! We call you, come back to us, your time has not yet come!"

Arthur felt the words ripple through him, but nothing happened. "Emrys," Iseldir called again, "come back to us! Your friends need you, Albion has yet to rise. Return!"

The world spun and Arthur fell to his knees, his ears ringing and bile rising up his throat. He could feel so much magic flowing through him he thought he might burst, as his ears rang and his eyes watered.

"MERLIN!", he roared in the sky, pain making dots appear in his vision. "Idiot, come back here!" The world around him exploded and shattered. His bones jarred as all the colors of the rainbow appeared before his eyes in a dizzying vortex, he was falling, falling into the void filled with wind and fire and the weight of the earth. He was dying, he was going mad.

Then it was over. Arthur lay on his back panting, dazed and breathless. He stared at the lights winking through the leaves as breathed in the scent of the forest floor. Then reality snapped back and he remembered. He sat up rapidly, looking around wildly.

There, next to him, lay a lean figure with raven-black hair. Lancelot and Percival shoved their way through the onlooking druids. Arthur scrambled over to his servant, grasping for his arm. He was still wearing the ragged clothes clothes he had the last time Arthur had seen him. He gave Merlin's shoulder a rough shake, his heart thundering in his chest.

"Merlin! Merlin? Wake up, Merlin!" And as his servant twitched and groaned, Arthur's insides melted in relief. The grief, the pain and all the hardships of responsibility faded from him as his friend stirred beneath his hand. Giddy, he exchanged a look with Lancelot, whose eyes were moist.

Merlin blinked, then opened his eyes. It took a moment, then they slid into focus as he looked at Arthur, then at the other two knights.

"What," he rasped, then coughed roughly, his voice harsh from disuse. By reflex, Arthur helped him sit up. "What happened?" He looked from one to the other. Lancelot pulled him into an embrace as Arthur laughed.

They told Merlin everything after he had eaten something. The stars had risen and Merlin had been ordered into his tent to rest. He protested feebly, but had fallen asleep before Arthur had left the tent. He sat at the fire, again, with his two friends, as he had for the last few weeks. But everything had changed. Lancelot sat opposite him, the firelight glinting off his teeth as he grinned.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Just say it."

Lancelot's smile broadened. "I told you so! I was right all along; there was no way a punce like Cado could have killed Merlin."

"I will never doubt you again," Arthur couldn't help smiling at his own irony and Percival joined in their laughter. Arthur looked up at the sky. He couldn't wait to get back to Camelot, to Guinevere.

"I can't wait to see Cado's face," he said, smiling deviously at the thought. "Now we have magic on our side, as well."

"And not just any magician," added Percival. "We have Emrys!" Lancelot laughed maliciously.

Arthur nodded, stabbing at the fire. "We have Merlin," he agreed.

They rode back the following day. Arthur swore he would remember this. He would not forget that the druids had helped him in his hour of need. They had even given Merlin a horse, so he would not slow down the others, along with new clothes. When Arthur tried to thank them, Iseldir told him he trusted Camelot would reciprocate the favor in other ways. Politics.

The days went by much faster after Arthur had gone back to the habit of calling Merlin an idiot on every occasion and Merlin retaliating by calling him a clot pole. Still, he felt slightly tense around Merlin, so many things they had yet to speak of.

"Merlin, do you think you can defeat Cado?" Lancelot obviously had no such inhibitions.

"Lancelot, leave Merlin in peace", Arthur ordered. "We will talk about this once we've gotten back to camp." 

"No, it's alright", Merlin said quickly. He looked back at Lancelot, hesitantly. "I don't know, Lancelot. I mean, Cado is very powerful and he has Morgana on his side- besides, magic is illegal in Camelot. Imagine if someone saw me and reported me!" Merlin looked at his friend with wide eyes.

Lancelot chuckled and the mock horror slid off Merlin's face as he joined in. Arthur felt the blow from the side for what it was.

"Merlin, there are many things I would love to have you flogged for, but using magic is not one of them. I could have you flogged for cowardice, though. Fleeing battle like that, evading your duty, running all the way into the spirit world- Really, Merlin?"

Merlin sputtered in indignation, but Arthur saw his eyes sparkle in humor. "If you hadn't been a big enough _prat _to let yourself be enchanted by Cado, I wouldn't have had to save your noble skin!"

"Merlin, you do know that I am king, right?"

"That proves it then."

And Arthur laughed, truly laughed, for what felt like the first time in years. Merlin smiled at him, his eyes crinkling and Percival used the opportunity to budge in.

"Now that that's settled: How exactly will you defeat him?"

Merlin's laughter dissipated and he slowed his horse, thinking. "I don't know yet", he said seriously. "I don't think I can fight him in the city. One blow on his whistle and the rats will come running. And Morgana- no. We have to get them out of the city. If we could separate them, all the better."

"Leave that to me", Arthur said. "I'll get them to come out. But what then, Merlin?" He couldn't completely keep the concern out of his voice. What if Merlin failed? He didn't think his kingdom could take another failure. Neither could he.

"I'll think of something. I'll improvise!" Merlin smiled coyly at him and Arthur groaned in frustration. "Merlin-"

"Don't worry, Arthur! I've been doing this for years, and in secret to boot. Trust me, we'll handle this." Arthur lowered his gaze.

They rode til the brink of night, until they dared to go no further. He gazed into the night as they rested for the night. He longed for Guinevere. Arthur couldn't wait to tell her that Merlin was back and healthy. He walked back towards the knights, who were dividing the provisions they had received from the druids among themselves. Lancelot finished piling up some deadwood, then looked at Merlin. Arthur didn't miss the small look Merlin threw him before his eyes glowed and flames sprang to life, licking at the branches.

Arthur sat leaning against a tree, his back to the fire. Percival and Lancelot rested, their breathing the only sound beside the wind in the trees. A branch snapped, and Merlin sat next to Arthur.

"You should rest", Arthur said, without looking at Merlin.

"Can't sleep", Merlin answered, making himself comfortable. He wrapped a blanket around himself.

"What was it like?" Arthur looked at Merlin. "In the spirit world."

Merlin's brow crinkled. "I- don't really remember", he confessed. "It was intense, I know that there was so much _power- _but I remember only darkness, no images."

"Did it hurt?"

Merlin shook his head.

"If we, if _you _don't succeed, then all of Camelot will perish."

"I know that", Merlin answered gravely. "I won't let that happen. Neither will you. You are the king."

Arthur nodded.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." Merlin's voice was low and tired. "I wanted to, so many times, I even tried- but I couldn't. I knew what your father thought about magic, and I didn't want to put you before the choice to either kill me or betray your father. But that's not the whole truth. I was afraid. You were right earlier: I am a coward." His voice broke.

Arthur sighed. "You're not a coward, Merlin. To live in Camelot, concealing in Camelot takes a lot of courage. Not many men are that brave. Not many men are so stupid, either. But I'm grateful you are such an idiot." Merlin looked down at the leaves to his feet. Arthur shoved him lightly.

"Of course, I was very angry, Merlin. Don't get the wrong impression. I'm disappointed that you didn't tell me. I hope you know I would never have handed you in. Not even when I was still prince." The king tried to catch Merlin's eye, to make sure his meaning was understood.

"But you might have chased me from Camelot", Merlin replied softly. "And I couldn't allow that to happen. Someone had to protect you from all the magical threats and no one else could. But this is moot: The past cannot be undone. We both made our decisions and have to live with them now."

Arthur looked at the stars in silent agreement.

Thoughts? Concrit? Favourite lines?


	6. Chapter 6

I'm really sorry for the delay, I've honestly been very busy in the last few days. College does that to you from time to time. Anyway, no more waiting, here is the rest of the story, hope you enjoy it!

Arthur lead their party along the winding path that would take them back to their camp. He could already hear the voice of it's inhabitants. Just as he was about to criticize the security of their fortification, a shout resounded: "The king has returned!"

Arthur smiled and they turned round the corner, the knights already striding out to meet them. Guinevere ran towards them, and threw herself into Arthur's embrace.

"I'm so glad you're back", she whispered against his neck. Arthur pulled her closer, then leaned in for a kiss.

She finally pulled away, slightly flushed.

"Did they help you? Did you recruit someone?" She peered over Arthur's shoulder, who glanced back at the hooded figure in the druid garbs.

"Well, they did their best", he answered, feigning disappointment. "A rather sickly sorcerer, but he was the best they had. Pity, really, we could have used a real warrior, someone with battle experience, but he will have to do."

Guinevere looked shocked at his callous words. Arthur concealed a smile as she approached the druid.

"We are very grateful for you help, Sir", she addressed him cautiously. "Please, what is your name? I'm Guinevere, if you need anything-." She curtsied slightly.

"How about a hug?" Merlin pulled back his hood, revealing his grinning face. Guinevere gasped, covering her mouth in shock. Then she threw herself at Merlin, fiercely clutching his neck.

"I've missed you so much!", Gwen pulled back, wiping her eyes. Arthur smiled. She was truly beautiful when she was happy. People were gathering around them, not sure of what was going on.

"I KNEW IT!" Gwaine pulled Merlin into a bear hug. Merlin nearly fell, laughing. "You arse, you have magic! I knew you were strange, but did you really have to take it all over the top like that?"

"Sorry, Gwaine, I'll be better next time", Merlin grinned, the skin around his eyes crinkled. Then he spotted the lone figure behind the crowd surrounding him.

"Gaius!" Merlin weaseled his way out between the knights and all but ran towards his guardian. The old man wrapped Merlin into a tight embrace. They held each other for a moment, then Gaius said something to Merlin, too softly for Arthur to hear. But Merlin smiled, his face lighting up and Arthur pretended he didn't notice how Merlin's eyes were watery. Gaius discreetly dried his tears with his sleeve. Arthur looked back at Guinevere, quenching the jealous pang in his chest. He had people who loved him as well.

He cleared his throat loudly. "Quiet please!" He waited for a moment for the crowd to settle down. His knights, garbed in their filthy cloaks, still carried the crest of Pendragon with pride. But mingled between them were a few peasants, mostly young men with no place to go. He also caught glimpses of long hair, the few wives that had remained with their husbands, along with young women who mostly helped Gaius in the infirmary. Between them children mingled, some clutching the hands and legs of their parents. Others stood by themselves. Arthur took a deep breath.

"People of Camelot", he began. Then he paused; where to begin? He surveyed the crowd again and spotted Merlin, who nodded at him encouragingly.

"These last few weeks have been trying and harsh. We all know that, should we not be able to return to the city, we will perish. _I_ know that. These hardships have been brought upon us by two powerful sorcerers, one of which has once been a friend to the house of Pendragon. Now however, they will stop at nothing to bring us to the ground and it might seem they have succeeded." He paused again, making sure he had every person's full attention.

"The greatest peril Camelot ever experienced coincided with the disappearance of my personal servant, Merlin." He noticed Gwaine and Lancelot exchange a look. "I believe it is no secret anymore that he is a sorcerer and has been practicing magic during his life as my servant."

Few men stirred, their eyes flickering towards Merlin, but their attention stayed with Arthur.

"My father has hunted his kind down. Even after the Great Purge, many have been executed for using magic, some rightfully so. However, I have decided to retract the general ban on magic."

He paused as muttering of disbelief cursed through the crowd. Some people looked outraged, others completely lost. Merlin simply stared, mouth hanging slightly open.

"Magic has threatened Camelot many times, but has saved it even more times. It has been reported to me how often magic had stood on our side, without my knowledge. This very week, the druids have helped us regain our most powerful ally. Merlin has saved my life more times than I can count. And while his usefulness as a servant may be questioned, his loyalty can not. Therefore, I stand here today and tell you, that magic is a tool. It can be used for the good and Merlin stands among you as living proof of that. He and I will ride into battle together, to challenge Cado and Morgana to combat. Merlin will fight for us and so will I." Arthur closed his mouth and waited.

People started muttering again, casting sideways looks at Merlin, full of wariness. Yet Merlin was surrounded by Arthur's best knights, as well as Gaius and Gwen, who grasped his hand. Merlin himself looked only at Arthur, straight and confident. It was why Arthur knew he had made the right choice.

Arthur looked back. His 'army' looked rather pitiful; ragged peasants with the occasional guard or knight thrown in the mix. Most of the men skilled in battle stood at the front rank. All in all, there were no more than one hundred men.

Arthur clenched his jaw; if something went wrong, none of these men would survive. He looked at Merlin for the last time, then nodded at Lancelot.

Lancelot turned towards the army. "March!" The troops started moving forward, in a jumbled mess The ranks dissolved, if there ever had been any. Arthur fought the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. This was the worst army that had ever been led into battle in the history of Camelot. If a fight would actually commence, they would be massacred.

"Don't worry", said Merlin softly, riding next to him at the head of the army. "They are just supposed to be a distraction. If anything goes wrong, they will flee."

Arthur ordered his troops to stop and cantered through the remaining field towards the gates, alone.

"Cado!" He shouted. His voice sounded feeble in the empty space. "Show yourself! I challenge you! Surrender or my troops will reclaim Camelot for themselves!"

Laughter issued from the city walls, and Cado appeared, well-groomed. "You do that, little man!", he shouted back. "If they don't miss the gate and run against the walls." He snickered again. Morgana appeared at his shoulder, embracing him from behind, smirking.

"This is your last warning! Surrender your magical weapons, come out and give yourselves into my custody and you shall not be harmed." Arthur's horse pranced nervously. Laughter was the only answer he got. Even though he had expected as much, Arthur felt a humiliating heat creep up his neck. He turned his horse an galloped back. Halfway back at his army he signaled towards Lancelot. The knight turned towards the troops. "Archers!"

The knights and guards stepped forward, pulling longbows and arrows from beneath their cloaks.

"Take aim!" As one, the archers drew their bows and raised them.

"Folly!", Lancelot roared.

A flurry of arrows flew towards the castle, like a swarm of angry bees. Arthur saw Cado stare up at them fearlessly, raising a hand. Yet the arrows stroke, clattering around the sorcerers as they cowered in astonishment. As the arrows fell, one pierced Cado through the shoulder. Arthur could hear his howl of pain as he reached his men. A piece of masonry shot at them and buried itself in the ground, several feet short.

"Fall back!" The turned and scampered, running back to the forest edge. Only the knights and Merlin halted short of the protective trees. Already they saw two horses nearing from Camelot, at a fierce gallop.

Cado reigned in his horse brutally, stopping it within earshot. Arthur saw his wound bleeding with some satisfaction. Morgana followed closely, unharmed.

"Fools, who do not recognize mercy when they see it", Cado hissed. He slid off his horse, and strode slowly towards him. Arthur could sense him reading his magic. "We wanted to let you live, if only for our entertainment. But now, the fun has stopped. Prepare to die."

Suddenly, the air was static. Arthur felt the hair on his arms stand up as the air crackled around him. Dark rain clouds loomed over Camelot. A storm was nearing. Merlin stepped into sight, a few steps in front of the small force.

"You will harm no one. This is your last chance. Cado, Morgana, leave now and you will remain unharmed, despite your crimes."

Cado's face contorted in fury. "You! Servant, how did you survive? Did the druids help you? Get out of the way, before I kill you, no matter how powerful you may be."

And he unleashed his force, causing the earth to shudder. The air compressed around Arthur and his ears popped, then it stopped. Merlin said something, and Arthur's sword slid out of it's sheath at it's own accord. More and more swords clotted the air around Merlin, as each knight became suddenly bereft of his weapon. The tips were pointing menacingly at Cado. Merlin spoke a harsh word, and they shot through the air. Cado managed to bark out an incantation, just in time. Morgana was too slow. She fell with a cry, a sword embedded in her chest. Arthur felt nauseous as he watched blood stream from beneath her clutching hands, before she collapsed. He heard her call out weakly, but Cado's gaze didn't waver from Merlin.

Merlin himself was gazing at Morgana and Arthur saw the deep lines of pain on his face.

"Go, Cado. Just leave. I don't want to kill you."

Cado sneered. "I underestimated you. I won't make that mistake again." He started chanting, his eyes a sick yellow. The air around him thickened, as though a fog was coming up.

"Cado, don't-" Arthur's heart picked up a beat at the panicked tone of Merlin's voice. "Think of what you're doing! You won't be able to control it, it will kill us all!"

Cado grinned through his words, his eyes gleaming all the brighter, the air around him swirling in twisted shapes. Arthur watched in horror as winged creatures appeared and dissolved again, as a cold winter blew in his face. Terrible eyes seemed to glare at him and he could swear he heard an unearthly howling in the distance.

"Cado, they will rip this world apart!", Merlin's words were hard and fast, yet weak against the gathering wind. "Stop it now or I will make you!"

Cado closed his eyes, his incantation increasing in speed. The shapes multiplied around him, moving faster and faster. Arthur could see their eyes and fangs as they strained towards him. The clouds above him rumbled and it started to rain.

"Merlin, do something!" Arthur yelled as the first drops fell. The screeches were getting louder.

The wind whipped at his clothes, raindrops pelting through the air. Arthur saw Merlin raise his hand. Lightning tore the sky apart as a bolt descended from the heavens. Arthur thought he saw Cado open his eyes in disbelief before the searing light hit him. The instantaneous thunder almost knocked Arthur over; then all was still.

Arthur looked at the smoking remains of Cado. Not much was left of him. Cautiously, he walked up to Merlin's side. The young warlocks face was unreadable.

Together they approached Morgana's body: It was unmoving and slightly scorched.

"It's over", Merlin said.

The return to Camelot was a sober one. Many streets have been completely destroyed, others severely damaged. An unpleasant hush lay over the city, that reminded Arthur uncomfortably of a graveyard. He sighed and turned away from his window. It would take time to rebuild Camelot, maybe even years.

Merlin watched him, hands clasped behind his back. "The council is waiting for you. They want to know what comes next."

Arthur walked over to Merlin and clasped his shoulder. "A new age."

They left the chambers together.

This is it! I hope you liked it and that I did every character justice, it was my first longer story. If you enjoyed the story, please be so kind to tell me by leaving a review; as always, mentions of favorite lines and/or concrit is much appreciated.


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